Beauty Nation - the event that's being called the 'Coachella of beauty' - is coming to Auckland this weekend, bringing with it a festival experience filled with pampering, shopping, interactive zones and expert opinion.
With so many wild makeup and beauty trends taking over our TikTok and Instagram feeds, it can be hard to suss the 'slay' from the 'oookkkayyy?' - and that's exactly why talking to the professionals is a good idea.
Beauty Nation is hosting an entire 'Beauty School' with seminars and masterclasses by some of the best in the beauty biz, so we thought we'd pick their brains about some of the weird and wonderful makeup and skincare trends we've saved on sosh meds but been too scared to try.
We got the goss from GeeGee Pikinga, who is a Beauty Nation ambassador and makeup artist, and also happens to be the Makeup Director for Maybelline NZ.
We also asked Edna Swart, the founder of ed&i body, and let me tell you, these guys know their stuff.
Here are GeeGee and Edna's thoughts on some of the most viral beauty trends around - and their top tips for looking snatched and confident wherever you go.
90s Grunge Makeup
Edna says: coming from a girl who grew up in the 90s, I am all for the grunge makeup look. I am a big believer that trends work like a circle - they always come back around. Look at the mum jeans and blowout hair for example (although I am hoping overalls and Doc Martens stay in the 90s). I'm all for a heavy eye and dark lip moment for a nighttime event or late dinner.
Gee Gee says: TikTok did not create this trend, and to be honest, there has long been a nineties fashion redux for going on ten years, so perhaps it is just having its moment on TikTok. Give me a Courtney Love, Winona Ryder, Kate Moss-editorial inspired lewk any day, honey.
Heatless curls
Gee Gee says: I’m all for this trend. Talk about reviving a golden oldie. They were called rag curls when I was growing up and I recall my mother telling us that they would sleep with their tresses wound around pieces of cloth, revealing perfect curls the next day.
Nowadays you can buy gadgets to wind your hair with, or even use a pair of tube socks. Anything we can do to not overexpose our hair to excessive use of heat from thermal stylers is good, but you won’t achieve the smoothing benefits to the surface of the hair cuticle that a blow wave or thermal stylers gives. Just make sure your hair is not wound too tight, as too much traction for an extended time can cause breakage and thinning.
Fake Tan Contouring
Edna says: Not saying I'm against this one, just be super careful about the fake tan you are using to do this. Our ed&i tan is 99% natural so has no harsh chemicals you're loading onto your face as you do this trend.
Many other brands wouldn't be suitable to use on your face, as the facial skin is much different to the skin on your body. I love rocking no makeup and I do believe this trend can give you a stunning natural glow if done right.
Face-Lifting concealer
Gee Gee says: The fact that this is such a big trend on social platforms really pleases me. The more knowledge people have about shade and light, the better they will become at using these techniques to understand and manipulate the 3D aesthetic of the face.
Lifting the appearance of one’s features is achieved by creating heightened angles with brightening products like concealer, particularly the corner of the mouth, corner of the eye and brow bone, leaving the wearer with a wind tunnel fierceness. Use these techniques to create your look to suit your mood.
Mixing foundation with water
Edna says: Funny story, I actually mix my foundation with my Vitamin C serum called Day Drin-C. This gives me a glowy and dewy finish.
I wouldn't recommend trying this with water but I can see how if you are looking for a light and natural finish this could work. If you are going to try it, check first if your foundation is a water base or an oil base. If it is a water base, you should be good to go, if it is an oil base I would avoid it.
Slugging
Gee Gee says: Nope. Not for me. And not required by everyone, to be honest. Emollients such as Vaseline are not sustainable nor are they eco-friendly.
I prefer to look after my skin with products created with green science and as natural ingredients as can be, unless professionally prescribed by a beauty therapist. The fact that dermatologists don’t boast about this being beneficial for all skin types should be enough to tell you what you need to know about this TikTok trend.
Making peel-off face masks from school glue
Edna says: Absolutely not, this is a big no-no! This is a prime example of some people believing everything they read online. It is a bit of a fun experiment to do, but please never use this on your face.
Our skin is so sensitive, even fragrance in skincare can irritate it. Now thinking about it, I can smell the old-school glue stick scent (not a smell you should want on your face). Stay away from the glue and use our ed&i Morning Coffee face scrub as a face mask instead 😉
Budget Beauty
Gee Gee says: I’m big on this and have been since day one. Starting out as a novice makeup user at 14 years of age, spending up large the money I earned working at our local fish and chip shop, I didn’t have the means to afford the high-end products that I obsessed over in fashion magazines. But over time, and through serious practice, I became a pro at creating luxurious looks with products I bought from the supermarket and chemist.
I remember Maybelline NY Great Lash mascara was the very first mascara that I ever owned, and still to this day it is one of my favourites to use. You don’t have to break the bank to create killer looks, sweetie.
Gee Gee's 3 Tips to Swear by:
1. Never wear makeup to bed
2. Be daring and adventurous with your makeup every now and then, what’s there to lose? It washes off
3. Confidence is the best foundation
Edna's beauty philosophy:
For me, beauty is about finding what works for your unique look and your skin type. Find your own personal beauty rather than jumping on trends and using overhyped products (we all remember the 2015 lip sucker trend thanks to Miss Kylie Jenner!).
In saying that, a few of my products are inspired by tried and tested TikTok trends such as the body gua sha, dry brushing and ice rolling. These all help with body inflammation, lymphatic drainage and sculpting.
Beauty Nation is taking over Auckland's Shed 10 on Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th of May, where you'll be able to catch Gee Gee, Edna and a whole bunch of other beauty legends doing their thing.
